Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) is a measurement of the actual amount of light available for photosynthesis. Light in the 400-700 nanometer wavelength range falls into the PAR category. It is important to monitor for this with a PAR meter, because this indicates the amount of light plants are actually able to use.
What is a lumen meter?
Similar to PAR, lumens is another way of measuring light emitted from the grow lights. Lumens are the amount of light a bulb provides, and is synonymous with brightness. Plants typically need at least 2,500 lumens, but the optimal range is upwards of 7,000 lumens.
When measuring light in your indoor garden, measure for both PAR and lumens, but remember than lumens isn’t necessarily the amount of light a plant can use. PAR is more accurate for determining if plants are receiving enough light.
For the cost of grow lights, it is important to ensure they are actually doing their job, which is where PAR and Lumen meters come in.
If you are interested in learning more about grow lights, visit our learning center! If you have any questions about PAR or lumen meters, give our experienced growers a call today at 888-815-9763!
